Bilge pump



T. LANGAN Aug. 14, 1945.

BILGE PUMP Filed Nov. 9, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ZlvWQ/MM Thomas L an ganAug. 14, 1945. LANGAN 2,382,797

BILGE PUMP Filed Nov. 9} 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 46a i 46b 3 r won kwThomas Lanyan Patented Aug. 14;

* ummi AppllcationiNovember e, 1e44, Serial n 'ssacsi a A column.(01.105150) This invention relates to deformable chamber pumps and, moreparticularly, to pumps of the diaphragm type. j

The primary object of the invention isto pro-' vide a manually operablepump capable of ham dling large volumes of water where speed,siniplicity in operation, compactness and ruggedness are of the essence.These requirements seem to congregate in the bilges of boats wherein alltoo frequently the bilgewater is not noticed until it has become ademonstrated hazard. Y

, To meet the above requirements, it is intended to provide a'pumphaving a low intake and delivery vtube-like box,- having intake andexhaust flap valves spaced therealong and operating in the samedirection, .a relatively large chamber having'a large diaphragm, and arelatively small diameter conduit connecting thev chamber and theportion of the box between the valves whereby, when the diaphragm islifted upwardly to expand the chamber, the exhaust valve is pulledclosed and water is driven under atmospheric pressure through the intakevalve and when the diaphragm is driven down to compress the chamber, theintake valve is closed and the water is driven out through the outletvalve.

A more specific object is the provision of a conduit connecting theintake and delivery box, the conduit being of substantially smallercrosssections than the diaphragm, thereby making for a short easy strokewithout sucking air from the intake as the bilgewater recedes towardsthe level of the intake opening. With this particular relationship,there is provided a diaphragm of flexible, preferably resilient,material such as rubber, a reinforced stiff central portion overlyingthe upper end of the conduit, and a driving arm connected to the centralportion so that the flexible portion will follow the stifi centralportion.

Yet another object is the provision of an expansible chamber pump havinga conduit connecting the chamber downwardly to a horizontal inlet anddelivery box, and a flap-type inlet valve disposed substantially belowthe lower end of the conduit where it will be driven closed by the firstdownwardly surging water of the compression stroke, thereby utilizingsubstantially the entire surge of the compression stroke as a deliveryforce.

These and other objects will be apparent from the followingspecifications and drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the pum and:

Fig.-

an elevation as seen from the. outlet end of the assembly.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numbers denotethe same or similar elements, 2 denotes a rectangular, elongated, hol--low box, preferably formed of sheet metal, and having open inlet andoutlet ends 4 and 8. Annularly apertured plates 8 are secured at the boxends for mounting threaded pipe fittings III for threaded engagementwith the inlet and discharge pipes, which may be arranged to suit theneeds of the particular problem. When the pump is usedin the bilge ofthe boat, box 2 should be disposed at or near the lowermost portion ofthe bilge and the discharge pipe should lead outwardly of the boat abovethewater line.

Valve-seats i2, comprising annularly apertured, rectangular plates ofthe same width as the box 2 but somewhat longer than theheight thereof,are welded as at It so as to be inclined in the same direction. Itshould be noted that one of the valve-seats I6 is disposed below thelower end of conduit 32, at least with regard to its lower end, forreasons specified below. Inlet and outlet valves l6 and i8 comprisingrubber discs 20 are'bolted as at 22 to the upper faces of thevalve-seats to comprise flap valves. Discs 24 are riveted to the upperfaces of the valves for loading and reinforcing the latter. 30 Box 2 isprovided with an opening through the top wall in the region betweenvalves, the open-. ing being framed by an internally threaded-fittingamxed to the top of the box for engagement with the lower end of avertical conduit 32 thread- 35 ed thereto as at 34. Conduit 32, whichmay be of considerable length, is threaded at 36 to a fitting 38 framingopening 40 which extends through the bottom of shell 42 which defines achamber 44.

40 The chamber is provided with a, top 48, the top and shell havingcooperating flanges 48 bolted together as at I50 for clampingtherebetween the edges of a flexibly resilient rubber diaphragm 52,which diaphragm extends across the chamher. A reinforcing ring 54 isaiilxed as by bolts 58 on the lower face of the diaphragm so as tooverlie the upper end of conduit 40 and to engage shell 42 when thediaphragm is driven to its lowermost position. Bolts 58 extend throughthe so diaphragm and on .the upper side thereof are engaged with anupper plate assembly 58, which includes a pairof spaced, upstanding lugs60. having slots therethrough for the reception of cross bolt 86.

g Diaphragm i2 is driven through the cross bolt slots 62 formedin-thefree endofacrankarm- I, the latter being pivoted by pin it to the top ofit at the edge thereof. Crank arm 00 is furthe: provided with a slot IIfor receiving removable handle I! by which the crank arm may be rockedfor vertically reciprocating the diaphragm.

As seen best in Fig. 2, top I is comprised of two spaced sections a andb. the sections being spaced to provide a well 14, the sides of the wellbeing defined by side plates." secured to the top sections and havingtheir lower edges arched as at II to conform to the contour of the topsections and to provide clearance for the diaphragm. Bearing plates IIare secured to plates ll adjacent to pivot pin ll.

In operation, handle I! is pulled back to rock crank arm as about pivotpin ll, thereby lifting diaphragm 44 to operate the pump. Verticalmovement of the diaphragm is obtained even though the free end or crankarm ll partakes of an arcuate course because of lost motion slots 02. Asthe diaphragm is raised, inlet valve is opened by bilge water underatmospheric pressure and outlet valve is remains closed. When handle 12is returned, diaphragm II is driven downwardly to compress or decreasethe size of chamber 44 and the intake water surges against the uppersurface of intake valve it to drive the latter shut, simultaneouslyopening outlet valve is and. in turn, driving the bilge-water outthrough the discharge pipe.

The cross sectional dimension of conduit 3! with respect to thearea offlexible diaphragm 82 makes for a relatively easy stroke and avoids thetendency for the pump to suck air. It will be seen that most of theelements may be formed of sheet metal or stock pipes and fittings, andthat its maintenance and cleaning are reduced to the minimum.

The invention, having been detailed above, is not to be limited by thespecific showing but only in accordance with the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim:

l.lnapumpofthetypedescribed,passag means forming an elongatedsubstantially horizontal passage having inlet and outlet openings atopposite ends thereof. respectively, one-way valves operating in thesame direction spaced along said passage, means defining a chamber abovesaid passage. a diaphragm extending substantially horlsontally acrosssaid chamber, means for reciprocating said diaphragm vertically wherebyto expand and contract said chamher, and a substantially verticalconduit downwardly connecting the lower portion of said chamber and theportion of said passage between said valves. said conduit having ahorizontal crosssection substantially smaller in area than the area ofsaid diaphragm, said means defining the chamber comprising a rigid shellhaving upper and lower portions with the edges of the diaphragm clampedtherebetween, said diaphragm being of flexible elastic material, a rigidreinforcing element disposed centrally of said diaphragm, saidreinforcing element comprising a. ring on the lower side of thediaphragm ofla radial extent greater than the upper end of the conduitand overlying the latter. plate means on the upper side of the diaphragmoverlying the ring and secured to the latter, upstanding lugs on theplate means, the means for reciprocating said diaphragm comprising acrank arm. lost motion slots disposed generally horizontally at one endof said crank arm, pivot means extending through said slots and saidupstanding lugs, means pivotally connecting the other end of said crankarm to the edge of said shell, and a handle for rocking said crank arm.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper portion of therigid shell forming the chamber is provided with a well into which thehandle for rocking said crank arm is adapted to be housed when ininoperative position.

THOMAS LANGAN.

